vävnadsdel

A vävnadsdel, often translated as tissue section or tissue slice, is a thin sample of biological tissue prepared for microscopic examination. This preparation is a fundamental technique in histology, the study of tissues, and is crucial for diagnosing diseases, understanding biological processes, and conducting research.

The process of creating a vävnadsdel typically involves several steps. First, a piece of tissue is removed from a living organism, either through biopsy or during surgery. This tissue is then fixed, a process that preserves its structure and prevents decomposition. Common fixatives include formalin. Following fixation, the tissue is dehydrated, usually by passing it through a series of alcohol solutions of increasing concentration, and then cleared with a solvent. The dehydrated tissue is then embedded in a solid medium, such as paraffin wax or resin, to provide support during slicing.

Once embedded, the tissue block is cut into extremely thin sections, typically a few micrometers thick, using a specialized instrument called a microtome. These thin sections are then mounted onto glass slides. To visualize the cellular and structural components, the sections are stained with various dyes. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) is a very common staining combination, where hematoxylin stains cell nuclei blue and eosin stains cytoplasm and extracellular material pink. Other stains are used to highlight specific cellular components or structures. The prepared slide can then be viewed under a microscope, allowing for detailed observation of tissue architecture and cellular morphology.